PERSONAL INFORMATION
Family: Son of Ernest A Sr and Collen Godwin (deceased); Married Frances Davenport, August 20, 1955; Children: Ernest III, Lynn, Nikky & Jerry Education: Claflin Col, BA, 1952; SC State Col's Sch Law, JD, 1954. Memberships: Chmn bd, Buena Vista Develop Corp; Am Bar Asn; SC Bar Asn; Nat Bar Asn; Sumter County Bar Ass; Am Judicature Soc; Nat Asn Advan Colored People; Alpha Phi Alpha; United Methodist Church Gen Coun Fin & Admin Legal Responsibilities Comn; chmn & bd trustee, Claflin Col; adv comt, Univ SC Sch Law; founder, Legis Black Caucus.
CAREER
Judge (retired), Attorney; SC Sumter County Courthouse 3rd Judicial Circuit SC, resident judge, 1976-85; SC Supreme Ct, assoc justice, 1985-94, chief justice, 1994-2000; SC State Univ, interim pres, 2002-03; Finney Law Firm Inc, atty, coun.
AWARDS
Distinguished Service, City Sumter, 1970; SC Coun Human Rights, 1972; Alumnus Award, SC State Col, 1973; Civil Libertarian of the Year, ACLU, 1973; Citizen of the Year, Omega Psi Phi, 1973; Bedford-Stuyvesant New York Jaycee Award, 1974; Politic & Alumni Award, Claflin Col, 1974; James M Dabbs Award, SC Council Human Rights, 1974; Selected to rep SC at Am Bar Asn Criminal Code Revision Conf, San Diego, 1975; Wateree Comn Action Inc Serv, 1975; SC Nat Asn Advan Colored People Native Son, 1976; Delta Sigma Leadership Serv, 1976; Service of Mankind Award, Emmanuel Meth Church, 1977; HHD, Claflin Col, 1977; Nat Asn Equal Oppt Higher Educ, 1986; Award of Achievement, Alpha Phi Alpha, 1986; Honoree, SC Trial Lawyers Association, 1993; SC Order of the Palmetto, 1994; LLD, Citadel, 1995; LLD, Johnson C Smith Univ, 1995; LLD, Morris College, 1996; DHL, SC State Univ, 1996; National Black College Hall of Fame, 1998; DHL, Col Charleston; Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award, Claflin Col, SC State Col; Honorary Degree: Claflin Univ, Johnson C Smith Univ, Morris Col, Col Charleston, Wofford Col, Francis Marion Univ, Univ SC.
Achievements:
First African-American Supreme Court Justice appointed to the South Carolina Supreme Court; First African-American to serve on the House Judiciary Committee.